Driscoll, “Real Marriage,” and Why Being a Pastor Doesn’t Automatically Make You a Sex Therapist

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Evangelicals expect too much of their pastors. In addition to demanding they serve as nearly flawless leaders and teachers, many of us demand that our pastors serve as professional counselors and advisors, experts on everything from politics to science to sex to health to money to marriage to relationships.   As a result, some pastors simply crumble beneath the weight of the pressure, “faking it” for years and then burning out. Others develop a heightened sense of self-importa... read more

Some books you just might love

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I’ve been so busy traveling and writing, I’ve barely made time to blog, but I have found some time to read. Here are my top recommendations from 30,000-feet!:  The Bible Made Impossible by Christian Smith—Consider adding this one to you Christmas list because I’m planning to write a series of posts about it beginning in January.  Smith, a Catholic sociologist, wisely and  graciously deconstructs Biblicism, an approach to reading the Bible common among Am... read more

What are you reading?

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I’m reading Half the Sky by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, and it’s by far one of the most powerful books I’ve ever picked up. (More on that next week.)  What’s on your nightstand these days? ... read more

The best book I’ve read in a long time…

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I get a lot of free books in the mail. It’s one of those blogging perks that seems too good to be true until I get behind on reading and my office starts to look like a library threw up in it. Remember our discussion about how too many choices can lead to paralysis?  Fortunately, a book came along this month that pulled me in so completely and joyfully I remembered why I love reading in the first place. Jesus, My Father, The CIA, And Me: A Memoir of Sorts by Ian Morgan Cron is e... read more

A Book Lover’s Survey

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photo © 2008 Chris | more info (via: Wylio)   Can you name… 1. A book you threw across the room in anger2. A book in which you underlined nearly every sentence.3. A book you were surprised to love. 4. A book you can’t wait to read.  Here’s my response:  1. Threw across the room: Created to Be His Help Meet by Debi Pearl2. Underlined: Walking on Water by Madeleine L’Engle3. Surprised to love: Julie and Julia by Julie Powell4. Can’t... read more

Sex, Science, and Shamrocks: Four Little Book Reviews

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The great thing about blogging is that publishers send you lots of free books. The problem is that sometimes they send you so many, your office ends up looking like a scene from “Hoarders.”  Well I finally got around to assembling reviews of some of my favorites. And since it's St. Patrick's Day, I figured that instead of stars, I'd give out shamrocks. Feel free to add your own mini-reviews in the comment section. I'd love to hear what YOU have been reading too. Unprotected ... read more

When disaster rocks your faith

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Today marks the first anniversary 7.0-magnitude earthquake that devastated the country of Haiti. To commemorate the event and to help get the word out about Kent Annan’s terrific book After Shock, I’ve shared some reflections with the Patheos Book Club about how disasters like these raise troubling questions about faith:    "I wasn’t anywhere near the Indian Ocean on December 26, 2004 when the Boxing Day Tsunami killed over 230,00 people in costal communities across... read more

Big News!

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  Evolving in Monkey Town won an INSPY Award!  This is quite an honor, especially considering the quality of the other books nominated in the creative nonfiction category.  (Okay, I’m not gonna lie; it feels nice to beat Donald Miller at something.)  Here’s what the judges had to say: Evans’ Evolving in Monkey Town chronicles the author’s move from complete acceptance of the faith of her childhood, through a desolate period of questioning, arriving... read more

Video Review: "Hipster Christianity"

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3 Things:  1. Watch the video to find out what items in my home suggest I am in fact a Christian hipster.  2. Leave a comment and be entered to win one of TWO SIGNED COPIES. (Consider responding to one of these questions: Are you a Christian Hipster? Is Christianity cool?) I'll randomly choose a winner on Monday, August 16.  3. Check out my interview with Brett McCracken, his interview with me, and HipsterChristianity.com.   ... read more

It wasn’t that long ago…

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So lately I’ve been staying up until 2 a.m. reading The Help by Kathryn Stockett—a beautiful novel set in Jackson Mississippi during the civil rights movement. (I noticed in Thursday’s comment section that several of you were reading it too!)  Whenever I read books like these, I am reminded of the fact that it really wasn’t that long ago that in many states… Interracial marriage was illegal White restaurant owners could refused to serve black patrons Afr... read more

BOOK LAUNCH BONANZA!

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Today marks the official release of Evolving in Monkey Town! People are so excited they’re buying fireworks.  To celebrate here on the blog, we’re doing a great big summer reading giveaway, in which three lucky winners will receive a Zondervan prize package that includes:  Stuff Christians Like by Jonathan Acuff Cold Tangerines by Shauna Niequist  O Me of Little Faith by Jason Boyett Picking Dandelions by Sarah Cunningham Evolving in Monkey Town by Rachel Held ... read more

Brett McCracken on “Hipster Christianity”

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Are you a Christian hipster? Apparently I am—at least moderately. It seems my affinity for Sufjan Stevens, NT Wright, and “creation care” earns me a Christian Hipster Quotient of 85/120, according to this (absolutely hilarious) quiz at HipsterChristianity.com. The results say: “You are a pretty progressive, stylish, hipster-leaning Christian, even while you could easily feel at home in a decidedly un-hip non-denominational church. You are conservative on some issues... read more

An Interview with Brian McLaren

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What is the overarching storyline of the Bible? What does it mean to say the Bible has authority? Is God violent? Who is Jesus and why is he important? What is the gospel? What is the function of the Church? Can we find a way to address human sexuality without fighting about it? Can our view of the future actually shape it? How should followers of Jesus relate to people of other faiths? What should we do next? If you think these are stupid questions and the answers to them no-brainers, you pro... read more

Interview with Jason Boyett about doubt...and pantaloons

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Jason Boyett is one of my favorite bloggers. Author of the Pocket Guide series, he has a disarming sense of humor and fluid, easy style.  So you can imagine my delight when I learned that Jason has written a book about his experience with religious doubt, which will be published by Zondervan in the summer of 2010. (Sound familiar?) Entitled O Me of Little Faith, the book opens with this: I am a Christian. I have been a Christian for most of my life. But there are times--a growing number... read more

Review: “A Million Miles in a Thousand Years”…

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In 140 Characters: Tweview: In “A Million Miles” @donmilleris coaxes the reader into paying more attention. Gratitude ensues. In 100 Words: Whenever I start to think to myself that perhaps Donald Miller is overrated, that surely his degree of success is available to any hard-working author, Miller comes along and writes another book that catches me off guard. In A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, Miller explores the relationship between story and life in a way that manages t... read more

Review of "Deep Church" + Your Thoughts on Creeds

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One of the perks of blogging is that sometimes you get free books in the mail to review on your site.  I have to admit that I was somewhat skeptical about Deep Church, the most recent book I received, in which Jim Belcher examines the divide between the emerging church and the traditional church in an effort to forge a third way. I know what you’re thinking. Define emerging. Define traditional…Oh, wait, you can’t.  How can there be a clear third way between such d... read more

Watcha Readin'? What's on your bookshelf?

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When you see a bunch of frazzled parents wandering around the school supplies section of Wal Mart with long, printed lists in their hands, you know that summer is drawing to a close. Here in Tennessee, some teachers start back next week! With this in mind, I thought I’d check in to see how your summer reading is going. Finished any interesting books lately? Any guilty pleasures? Have you spent the summer with fiction or non-fiction, or a little of both? Is there a book you keep putting o... read more

On God and Publication

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One of the many perks of getting a book deal is the opportunity to network with fellow writers. Over the past few months, it’s been really exciting to meet and correspond with established authors I have admired for years as well as new authors just breaking into the market. I want to offer an especially warm welcome to those who have found the blog through my agent Rachelle Gardner’s site or through my Q&A on Alexis Grant’s site. There’s been a noticeable influx of re... read more

What Are You Reading? Who Do You Trust?

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Though we are taking a break from our book club discussions for the summer, I wanted to check in now and then to see how your summer reading is going. I’m right in the middle of N.T. Wright’s Justification. Intended primarily as a response to John Piper’s criticism of the so-called “New Perspective” on Paul, it’s a fascinating read and much more accessible than I expected it to be...although there are moments when I find all the back-and-forth about the mean... read more

The Silver Lining to "The American Patriot's Bible"

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If the beginning of this promotional video doesn’t remind you of the opening credits of The Colbert Report, then you probably don’t get Comedy Central.  And if the entire thing doesn’t make you cringe with embarrassment, then you probably lack the facial muscles to do so. The American Patriot’s Bible, released this spring by Thomas Nelson Publishers, has caused quite a stir on the blogosphere recently.  Needless to say, if anything deserves one of LifeWay&rsqu... read more

Summer Reading, Sex, and Love

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I don’t know about you, but when I was a kid, I lived for summer reading.  I loved how the smell of chlorine (leftover from a long morning at the Y) mingled with the sweet scent of books as I lumbered down the aisles of the Birmingham Public Library each Friday afternoon with an armful of new adventures, compliments of Nancy Drew,  Anne Shirley, Ramona and Beatrice, and Laura Ingalls Wilder. I loved filling out the little progress sheets the librarian handed out each May and tape... read more

Book Club Discussion: Does This Offend You?

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The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30cThe Word - Medium Matterscolbertnation.comColbert Report Full EpisodesPolitical HumorGay Marriage Probably my favorite show on television is the Colbert Report on Comedy Central. I don’t think I would have made it through the 2008 election had it not been for this daily dose of smart, hilarious satire. David Dark, author of The Sacredness of Questioning Everything, seems to appreciate Colbert as well, for he begins his chapter on “Quest... read more

Mistaking Our Religion for God

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Today we begin our discussion of The Sacredness of Questioning Everything by David Dark (Zondervan, 2009).  I hope you’ve had the opportunity to get a copy of your own, because this is a good book, the kind that stretches your thinking and will likely impact different readers in different ways. Having read the table of contents on Amazon, one reader e-mailed me to say he didn’t approve of my choice. “The first chapter is about questioning God,” he protested. Read ... read more

The Christian College Experience

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If I didn’t already have a stack of unread books on my nightstand, I’d love to check out The Unlikely Disciple: A Sinner’s Semester at America’s Holiest University by Kevin Roose. (Check out the book trailer above.) The book chronicles Roose’s experience when he transferred from Brown University to Liberty University, a conservative Christian college founded by Rev. Jerry Falwell.  Raised in a secular/liberal home, Roose struggles to keep up with the Bible clas... read more

Book Club, Babies, and By the Way...

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I hope you will consider getting your hands on a copy of our book club selection for the month of May—The Sacredness of Questioning Everything by David Dark. The book includes a series of reflections on the importance of thinking critically about faith and the value of asking difficult questions regarding everything from God to religion to language to government. Dark, an acquaintance of mine and fellow Zondervan author, really struck a cord in the first chapter, where he says, “We f... read more

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